Wheel.



W. H. PARHAM.

WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1907.

Patented Sept. 29, mm.

J1 HUHWHU 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. "U W o fltfozum W. H. PARHAM. WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1907.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM HENRX PAREAM, OF PADUCATI, KENTUCKY.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

application filed. May 15, 1907. Serial No. 373,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. PARHAM, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Paducah, in the county of McCracken and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Wheel,'of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wheelsr The -object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wheels, and to provides. simple and highly resilientshock absorbing wheel of great strength and durability, designed for use on various kinds of vehicles, motor cars and the like, and adapted to afford the desired resiliency to adapt it for the use to which it is to be put, and

capable of use in connection with any kind of tire.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel of this character; having means 'for enabling the resiliency to be adjusted to increase or diminish the same, as desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the' construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and

(pointed out in the claims hereto a pende it being understood that various 0 anges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanically resilient wheel, constructed in accordance with this invention and arranged to receive various forms of tires. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the huband upper portion of the wheel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional viewof a wheel, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, the wheel being equipped with a wooden felly and a metallic tire for use on heavy vehicles. Fig. 4 is an elevation 'of a wheel, showing another form of spoke and equipped with a cushion tire. .Fig. 5 is a side elevation'of a portion of a wheel, showing themechanicall resilient device applied .to the hub of an or inary wheel. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the sections of the hub,

showing the interior annular'flan e for interlocking the sections of the hu with the spokes and with the sector-shaped spacing blocks. F 7 is a detail perspective view of the wedge-shaped head of one of the tension devices.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a metallic rim, ada ted to receive any form of tire and designe to be constructed ofany suitable material. The rim 1, shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive-of thedrawings, is constructed of flat metal and is straight in cross section, but the wheel may be equipped with a rim 2, curved or concavoconvex in cross section to adapt it for the reception of a clencher tire, or a solid rubber the or the like. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, the wheel is equipped with a wooden Rally 3 and a metallic tire 4 for use on heavy vehicles.

The wheel, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, is provided with an annular series of spring metal and rovided with outer substantially elliptica loops 6, which are se-= cured by bolts or rivets 7, or other suitable fasteni or devices to the inner face of the rim 1, but any other suitable means may be employed for retaining the outer portions of the spokes and the rim in place. Each spoke consists of a single strip of metal, and is provided with inwardly converging side portions 8, and the' inner ends 9 of the s okes are fitted together, and are secured wit in a hub 10. The hub 10 is rovided with sections 11 and 12, separab e from each other and having interior annular flanges 13, which engage opposite notches 14 of the innor ends 9 of the spokes, whereby the latter are positively interlocked with the hub and are securely held between the sections there of. The section 11 is integral with the hub 10, and the other section 12 is removed therefrom. The spokes are spaced apart at their inner ends by sector-shaped blocks 16 of wood, or other suitable material, and the end edges of the metal of the s okes abut against the tubular portion or ax 0 box 17 of the hub section -11. The sections 11 and 12 of the hub are secured together by transverse bolts 18, which pierce the sections and the spacing blocks at points between the spokes, as clearly of the drawings. The bearing portion of the hub may be constructed in any desired manresilient spokes 5, constructed of suitableillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 nor to adapt the wheel to the vehicle, motor with annular flanges, the construction may i be reversed,'grooves being provided in the annular flanges and the spacing blocks, and the spokes having projecting lugs or flanges to interlock with the grooves. As this con-3 stiuction is obvious, illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The resiliency of the wheel is adjusted by means of the tension devices 20, having wedge-shaped heads 21 inter osed between the resilient loops 6 of thespo es and adj ustably connected with the hub, whereby the heads 21 are adapted to be moved inwardly or outwardly to contract and stiffenthe resilient spokes, or to permit the loo s to expand and thereby increase the resi iency of the wheel. The heads 21, which are, im wardly tapered, are provided with concave engaging faces 22 to {it the loops of the spokes, and they are provided at their outer ends with projecting lugs,- 2i5, arrangedi ip'.

pairs and engaging the sidetl'dgcs of the can" combination of arim, a hub, spokes secured tiguous spokes to retain the sides of the loops in engagement' with the tension devices.

The heads 21 are connected with the hub by adjustable rods or stems, composed of inner and outer sections 24 and 25 having their approximate terminals threaded for the reception of a turn-buckle 26. The inner sections of the tension devices are provided with forked portions 27, embedded in the wooden s acing blocks and secured to the same by t 1e fastening devices 18, which pierce the sides of the forks. By adjustin the turn-buckle, the tapering head is move inwardly or outwardly, and the adjustin means rigidly connects the tapered hea with the hub. The tapered head may be moved inwardly from time to time to reserve the desired stiffness of the s ores. The loop-shaped s okcs provide a iighly elastic or resilient wlieel, and while the wheel is adapted to dispense with pneumatic tires, it is also designed to cooperate with the same whendesi red.

The spokes may be provided with various forms of loops, and may be used with or without the tension device. In Fig. 4 of the drawings, the spokes 28 are provided with circular loops 29, riveted or oth rwise secured to the rim 2 and having UlLiI inner ends interlocked with a hub 30, constructed similar to the hub 10 heretofore described. This form of wheel is also designed to be equipped with tension devices 28, constructed in the same manner as those here toiorc described, and having tapered or portions of the spokes having been-cut oif.

The inner ortions of the sides of the spokes are secure to the (projecting pprtions 35 by bands 36, arrange in pairs, ut any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose. The tension devices 35, whichare similar in construction to the tension device 20, are secured to the hub, the forked portions 37 straddling the inner bands 36. The loops of thespokes 32 are secured by rivets 38, or other suitable fastening devices to a rim 39. The construction shown in Fig. 5 is adapted'to readily convert an old wooden wheel into a resilient Wheel without-disturbing the special bearings of the vehicle or motor carnof which the wheel is a part.

1 Havin what- I cl aim as new and desire qjaetters Patent, is:-

1 Ina wheel of the class described, the

to secure by 2. In a wheel of the class described, the

thus fully described my invention, i

combination of a rim, a hub, s okes secured to the hub and to the rim an including resilient loops, and tension devices connected with the hub of the wheel and fitted between and engaging the loops of the spokes and movable radially oft e wheel to vary the tension of the said spokes.

3. In a wheel of the class described, the combination with a hub, and spokes havin resilient loops, of a tension device provide with a tapered portion fitted between and engaging the loops and adjustable inwardly and outwardly to vary the tension of the same. n

4. In a wheel of the class described, the combination with a hub, and spokes having resilient loops, of a tension device provide with a tapered portion fitted between and engaging the loops and adju'stable inwardlyand outwardly'to vary the tension of the same, said tapered portion being provided with opposite lugs spaced apart to receive the loops.

5. In a wheel of the class described, the combination with a hub, and spokes pro vided with resilient loops, of tension device composed of a tapered portion fitted between j ustably' connecting the tapered portion with the hub for moving the tapered portion inwardly and outwardly.

6. In a wheel of the class described; the

combination with a hub, and spokes provided with resilient loops, of a tension. device composed of a tapered portion fitted between and engaging the loops, and adjustable means forming a rigid connection between the tapered portion and the hub and adapted to move the former inwardly and outwardly. 7. In v a Wheel of the class (lescrlbed, the comb nation ot a run, a hub, spokes secured to the hub and having outer resilient loops secured to the rim, and tension devices inter-.

my own, I have hereto aiilixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY PARliAlil. Witnesses:

AUBER SMITH, A B. E. HART. 

